Package of flexible material

ABSTRACT

A package of flexible material is produced by a winding in the nature of a universal wind on a spindle of oblong shape, or by winding a package on a cylindrical spindle and thereafter compressing the package in a direction transverse to the spindle axis into an oval shape. A radial hole is built into the package, preferably substantially at one of the sides of the oblong, and the flexible material is fed out from the interior of the package through this hole by means of a payout tube inserted in the hole and extending into the central interior of the package where it flares outwardly. The completed package, if wound on a mandrel having flat sides, while the guide and the spindle maintain constant speeds, will be thicker in the elongated sides than in the substantially semi-edge portions because the cross-overs in the end portions are spaced further apart than in the side portions. Thus when one or both of the side walls are flattened, as by insertion in a container, the flattened side wall portions push inwardly so that the interior walls of the axial space are closer together at the center than at the sides. By driving the spindle at a suitable variable speed, the cross-overs can be spaced evenly around the package and the thickening of the longer sides is avoided.

United States Patent Gordon et al.

[151 3,677,490 1 July 18, 1972 [54] PACKAGE OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL [72]Inventors: William F. Gordon, Yonkers; James W.

Newman, Scarsdale, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Windings, Inc., Yonkers, NY.

22 Filed: July 16,1970

21 Appl.N0.: 55,407

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. Nos.709,305, Feb. 29, 1968, abandoned, and Ser. No. 18,780, March 2, 1970.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1953 Taylor, Jr. ..242/1634/ 1 965 Taylor, Jr. ..242/163 9/1 966 Sternberg et al ..242/ l 71FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 687,360 4/1930 France ..206/46 Y\RECIPROCATING Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney-JenningsBailey, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A package of flexible material is produced by a winding inthe nature of a universal wind on a spindle of oblong shape, or bywinding a package on a cylindrical spindle and thereafter compressingthe package in a direction transverse to the spindle axis into an ovalshape. A radial hole is built into the package, preferably substantiallyat one of the sides of the oblong, and the flexible material is fed outfrom the interior of the package through this hole by means of a payouttube inserted in the hole and extending into the central interior of thepackage where it flares outwardly. The completed package, if wound on amandrel having flat sides, while the guide and the spindle maintainconstant speeds, will be thicker in the elongated sides than in thesubstantially semi-edge portions because the cross-overs in the endportions are spaced further apart than in the side portions. Thus whenone or both of the side walls are flattened, as by insertion in acontainer, the flattened side wall portions push inwardly so that theinterior walls of the axial space are closer together at the center thanat the sides. By driving the spindle at a suitable variable speed, thecross-overs can be spaced evenly around the package and the thickeningof the longer sides is avoided.

14 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures GUIDE MECHANISM Patented July 18, 19723,677,490

4 Sheets-Sheet l GUIDE -'X REQPreocmme a MECHANlSM 6 I\\ 3 4 I M '7WILLIAM E coRfioN L JAMES w. NEWMAN BY W geu% I ATTORYEY ITIVEXTOR 5Patented July 18, 1972 3,677,490

W? M I Wwv ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1972 4 eets-Sheet 5 BY Lu/LPACKAGE F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL This application is a continuation-inpart ofapplication Ser. No. 709,305 filed Feb. 29, 1968, now abandoned and ofapplication Ser. No. 18,780 780 filed Mar. 2, 1970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The inventionrelates to a package of flexible material and to a method and apparatusfor producing such a package.

2. The Prior Art Packages of flexible material wound in a universal windand having a built-in radial hole are well known for example from TaylorUS. Pat. No. 2,634,922. These packages are cylindrical in cross section.Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,130 suggests that such packages can becollapsed in various ways, including circumferentially. However, withall of these packages there is a tendency for the material being drawnout from the inside of the package to birds-nest, that is, for aplurality of loops to come loose from the inner wall of the package atthe same time which may become caught on each other and thus preventpositive payout from the interior of the package.

Application Ser. No. 709,305 discloses a package of flexible materialproduced on a mandrel composed of two spaced round bars, as a result ofwhich, when the spindle and guide are driven at constant speed, thecross-overs are spaced further apart in the curved ends than in theelongated sides. This results in the building up of a thickened wallalong each of the sides, which, when the package is compressed into acontainer with flat sides, may result in inward bulging of the longerwalls.

Such a package may be produced by simple inward compression, in adirection transverse to the axis of the package, a package of the typeshown in the Taylor patents referred to above. This package would thenhave side walls of substantially the same thickness as the end walls,and would not be subject to the inward bulging referred to above. Thiswould be because the cross-overs are substantially equally spaced aroundthe package.

However, with many materials, it is impossible to produce a package withan oval internal opening without deforming the material to such anextent that it will not payout properly. Such compression may bepossible with relatively thin wall packages containing only a limitedamount of material, but is not practical with most resilient materialswhere the walls of the package are fairly thick, which is of coursenecessary if the package is to contain substantial lengths of material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, thelikelihood of birdsnesting" is greatly reduced by forming the packagewith an axial opening having a cross section substantially in the shapeof a dumb-bell or a kidney, that is, with a narrow central portion.

A further feature of the invention is the use in such a package of apayout tube which is secured in the payout opening and which has aportion extending inwardly substantially to the central plane of thepackage, this portion flaring outwardly from the interior wall of thepackage to its free end at an angle of around 30.

A further feature of the invention lies in the winding of the package ona spindle composed of two shafts or rolls which are mounted on a commonframe in parallel spaced relation, which spindle is rotated about a lineequidistant between the rolls while a guide is reciprocated along thelength of the rolls, the flexible material being fed in by this guide.

As a result of this arrangement, and because the curved ends of therolls will be moving more rapidly across the guide than the centralportions, the substantially flat central portions of the package sowound will have their cross-overs spaced apart by a less distance thanthe cross-overs of the substantially cylindrical end parts. The resultof this will be that the flat side portions as the layers build up willbe thicker than the end portions. If then the resulting package isenclosed in a simple container of oval cross-section with flat sides,the thicker side portions will be caused to bulge inwardly so as toproduce the dumb-bell shaped interior space referred to above, whereasif pressure is exerted on the central part of only one of the side wallsthe interior axial space will be kidney shaped.

A further feature of the invention, of general application, is theprovision of a removable part in the payout tube having a member thereonwhich engages the inside surface of the opposite wall of the packageduring shipment.

The purpose of the oval or elliptical wind is to offset certaindisadvantages inherent in a circular wind when material is paid out ofan air core through a radial hole in that wind, as follows:

a. To prevent material during payout from loosening itself from the wallof the wind and going into loose circular coils immediately prior topayout exit. Nearly all material has some tendency to do this-thegreater the spring characteristics relative to the weight of thematerial, the greater the tendency. The non-circular shape of the windor package, plus the flat or straight sided wall of the oval windaugmented by the interior bulge, hereinafter described, work to preventloose circular coils from formb. Reduce or eliminate the tendency ofrelatively stiff but kinkable material to go into a kinkable bend (belowminimum bend point) before being paid out through the radial hole. Thussoft solid copper wire paying off the flat oval side of the wind intothe radial hole located in that side is not encouraged or forced intothe minimum bend, and because of the absence of cones used in circularwind (to also prevent coils from tangling), has room to assume the bestangle of exit.

c. Reduce the space displaced by the package by reducing the volume ofthe air core.

(1. Produce a package shape more useful in certain situations, forexample where lacing tape packages are passed through narrow spaces,particularly where the payout hole can be placed in the circular end ofthe oval wind, and thus enable material to be paid out in the directionof the movement of the package.

e. Reduce slight fluctuations in tension occurring in a circu lar windby placing the payout hole in the circular end of an oval wind, thusreducing the range of angle fluctuations in the approach to the hole bythe exiting line.

Accomplishment of the oval wind may be done in two ways l) by pressureapplied to the outside of a circular wind, transforming it into anelliptical shape and then into an oval wind (2) by a lesser degree ofpressure applied to an elliptically wound wind, using a mandrel havingsemi-circular ends some distance apart. Where a true oval-shaped mandrelis attempted, most material with any degree of stiffness will tend tobulge outward on the flat sides so that an elliptical efiect is producedthat is, except where the distance between the semi-circular ends isvery great relative to the material used. A fully shaped ellipticalmandrel may thus be the most practical for some materials.

Where the wind contains a relatively small number of layers, or a thinwall, the pressure required to transform a fully circular wind into anoval shape should be well within the limits of pressure allowable to thematerial, whereas a thickwalled or many-layered wind may not be sotransformed without undue pressure on the material. In the latter casean oval may only. be accomplished by winding on an elliptical mandrel asclose as possible to the oval shape required. In addition it should benoted that stiff heavy and inflexible material such as solid copperbuilding wire can only be pressured from a circular wind if the wall isthin, not only because of the resistance to pressure of the thick wallbut because these inner coils of a thick wall might be reduced to acircular bend at the end that is smaller that the minimum bend for thematerial.

Where such transformation from either elliptical or spherical windstakes place, each layer progressing from the outside to the insideencloses a somewhat smaller area than the same layer enclosed beforepressure was applied. This results in one or both of the flat sides ofthe transformed oval buckling toward the inside to produce a slighthour-glass efiect. Each inward layer tends to buckle a little more thanthe preceding one and thus a thick-walled wind tends to maximize thiseffect. In addition, the buckling or hour-glass effect is accentuated bythe fact that the slower winding speed across the face of the long sideof the oval tends to increase the number of crossovers and thusincreases the thickness of wall in that area. This build-up ofcross-over points tends to increase in progression from the circularends toward the center.

For very light weight materials with low spring characteristics andgreat flexibility the effect described in the preceding is of no benefitto payout perhaps the reverse, since the loosening effect tends todisplace relationships between continguous coils that are light enoughto efiect one another by any degree of friction. Where the weight of thematerial is both relatively heavy and relatively springy and whereflexibility or absence of spring does not increase too much relative toweight, this bulge may on the other hand be a payout advantage, since ittends to assist the oval shape in preventing loose coils from formingahead of the payout, and since it also tends to point the lay of theline around the hold toward a position above the hole, particularly whena tube is used, and thus to ease the exit.

For materials benefiting from the oval shape from a payout viewpoint,the most flexible material can be paid out through a hole located eitherin the circular end or the flat side. The former may be advantageouswhere the whole package needs to be moved through narrow spaces and adirect exit is desirable in the direction of such movement. These samematerials may benefit also by the more constant tension of the payoutprocess through a hole thus located.

For other materials the side wall payout location will be moreadvantageous since the circular ends tend to restrict the space requiredfor stiff springy and/or kinkable material to as sume the bend necessaryfor exiting through the hole. The fiat run of the material and thelength of open space of the side wall also tends to be much lessrestrictive. By the same token the inward bulge of the layers tends toassist the flow of such material out the hole and at the same timeprevent the formation ofloose coils.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more fullyunderstood from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I shows a package produced according to the invention while stillsupported by the spindle on which it is wound;

FIG. 2 shows the same package removed from the spindle and enclosed in acontainer;

FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically a machine for producing a packageaccording to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the payout tube;

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of the winding of one layer of the packageaccording to the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a modified form of package;

FIG. 7 shows in plan view the holder of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a part of a package with a stabilizing member secured inthe payout tube; and

FIG. 9 shows the stabilizing member in plan view;

FIG. 10 is a diagram explaining the action of the machine of FIG. 3;

FIG. I1 is a diagrammatic showing of a modified form of machine;

FIG. 12 shows an oblong mandrel with a package thereon; and

13 shows another form of package.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3,there is shown a spindle 2 driven by a motor 4 and carrying brackets 6which support rolls 8. A guide 10 is reciprocated along the rollsin'conjunction with the rotation of the spindle formed by the rolls 8,the drive mechanism for example being of the type shown in Taylor US.Pat. No. 2,767,938.

The guide makes substantially one complete reciprocation for every twoturns of the spindle, but is slightly out of phase therewith so that thecross-overs progress around the spindle. This builds up a package offlexible material a typical layer of which is shown in FIG. 5, thislayer being composed of a plurality of FIG-8s. In this figure there isshown a hole 13 produced bin each layer by the fact that the crossoversdo not continue completely around the package. It will be noted alsothat the spacings 14 between the cross-overs in the portions of thepackage going around the rollers, one of such portions for example beinglocated between lines 16 located at the left hand side of FIG. 5, arespaced substantially further apart than the cross-overs as at 18 in theflat side wall sections of the package. As a result, as is seen in FIG.1, the side walls of the package build up to a greater thickness thanthe substantially cylindrical end wall portions.

FIG. 2 shows the package of FIG. 1 enclosed in a substantially rigidcontainer 20 having a flat side wall and provided with a hole 22opposite the hole 12 in the package. It will be noted from this figurethat the resulting package has a dumbbell shaped interior.

It is also desirable to use a payout tube such as shown in FIG. 4 whichhas a portion 24 for fitting in the hole 12 and a flaring portion 26 offunnel shape which begins at the interior wall of the original packageand extends substantially to the center of the dumb-bell shaped opening.The angle between the wall and the radius of the package is preferablywithin the range of 15 to 40, preferably around 30. This flaring shapehelps to lift the coils one by one away from the package wall, theportions of the coils nearest the hole being guided outwardly by contactwith the sloping surface. The interior free end 28 of the flexiblematerial is brought out through this funnel with a result that, as shownin the previously identified Taylor patent the material is fed outsubstantially without twist.

FIG. 1 shows a clip 30 attached to one of the rolls 8 for the attachmentof the starting end of the material (indicated in broken lines inFIG. 1) during winding.

While a single FIG.-8 wind is shown in the drawing, it is to beunderstood that multiple FIG.-8 winds are not excluded from the scope ofthe invention in its broadest aspect.

FIG. 6 shows a similar coil held by a frame (see also FIG. 7) so thatthe interior axial opening is kidney shaped. The frame is composed ofone side of two bars 32 spaced apart and engaging the package near theends of one of the long sides, while a second bar 34 with a central ring36 for payout engages the central part of the other longer side. Thesebars are connected by frame members 38.

FIG. 8 shows, in combination with the payout tube, a rod 40 of plasticmaterial which fits fairly tightly within the payout tube part 24 andhas at its end normally spreading resilient fingers 42. If the fingersare held together and the rod is inserted in the payout tube with thefingers in front, the fingers will spread apart and can engage theopposite interior wall so as to stabilize the package during shippingand handling. When the package is to be paid out, the rod 40 iswithdrawn and the fingers 42 will be compressed and come out through thetube.

The inner end 28 of the material may be attached to rod 40, so that itis drawn out as the rod is removed.

Where a number of packages are to be cascaded," that is, connected inseries, the payout tubes can be dropped off as each coil is paid out ifthe outer end of the material is led inwardly through the radial hole onthe outside of the tube and then out through the tube. To permit thiswithout interfering with the normal payout, the tube can be providedwith a groove 44 in which the outer end portion can lie during thewithdrawal.

The use of a constant speed spindle results in a change in linear speedof the material being wound, forming a sine wave f.p.m. curve. Themaximum speed occurs at the major diameter of the shape and the minimumspeed at the minimum or minor diameter. As shown in FIG. 10, where A andB are the major and minor radii, respectively:

The maximum speed per revolution 2 1r B The minimum speed per revolution2 n A The average speed per revolution 2 ar /z (A i-B n" The linearspeed (f.p.m.) curve per revolution is generated then as a sine curve,and the cross-over points are closer together at the minor diameter onthe circumference of the wind and increase in distance as the majordiameter is approached, as shown in FIG. 5.

A constant linear winding speed per revolution of an oval winding formmay be obtained by having the R.P.M. of the mandrel vary in a sine wavepattern. The curve generated is the same as with a constant R.P.M.mandrel with the exception that the R.P.M. varies with the linear speed(F .P.M.) constant.

A wind made in this manner results in the cross-over points being spacedin an equidistant manner on the wind circumference.

The wall thickness remains constant as contracted with a slightthickening at the minor axis on the constant R.P.M. wind caused by thecloser cross-overs in this area.

With a constant tension applied to the material being wound, the tensionremains constant with a constant linear speed wind. With a constantR.P.M. wind, the tension changes with the linear speed as the mandrelrotates.

As shown in FIG. 11, an oblong spindle 50 is driven by a belt 52 from avariable speed motor 54 which is controlled in such a way that theperipheral speed of the mandrel is maintained constant. The guide 56 isreciprocated by a constant speed motor, for example through cammechanism of the type shown in the Taylor patents.

FIG. 12 shows how a package may be produced on an oval mandrel, such asthe mandrel 81 of FIG. 1 l. The package 82 is of substantially equalthickness both at the ends and in the longer sides.

FIG. 13 shows a package which can be produced by the machine shown inFIG. 11, using a mandrel of the type shown in H0. 3, or may be producedby winding on a round mandrel and compressing inwardly at the hole andat the opposite side.

We claim:

1. A package of flexible material comprising a plurality of layers eachformed of a plurality of figure-8s having crossovers progressing aroundthe package, said package having an axial opening and having incross-section perpendicular to the axis of said axial opening asubstantially oval shape with elongated sides and curved ends, andhaving a radial opening, the

inner end of the material being led out through such opening.

2. A package as claimed in claim 1, in which the radial opening issubstantially at the center of one of the elongated sides.

3. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the interior walls of theaxial opening are closer together at the central portion of theelongated sides than at the end portions.

4. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the cross-overs in thecurved ends are spaced further apart than the crossovers in theelongated sides.

5. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the elongated sides arethicker than the curved ends.

6. A package as claimed in claim 5 and a cover therefor substantiallyoval in cross-section and having flat sides engaging the elongated sidesof the package whereby said sides bulge inwardly into the axial opening.

7. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the cross-overs in thecurved ends are spaced further apart than the crossovers in theelongated sides.

8. A package as claimed in claim 1 having a payout tube with a part heldin said radial opening and an outwardly flaring portion terminating atthe interior wall of the package.

9. A package as claimed in claim 8 in which the outwardly flaringportion forms an angle of 15 to 40 with the longitudinal axis ofthetube.

A package as claimed in claim 8 having a part removably secured in thetube, said part having means thereon engaging the opposite interior wallof the package.

11. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the crossovers are evenlyspaced around the package.

12. A package of flexible material comprising a plurality of layers eachformed of a plurality of figure-8s having crossovers progressing aroundthe package, said package having an axial opening and having a radialopening, the inner end of the material being brought out through theradial opening, a payout tube having a portion within the radialopening, and a part removably secured in the tube, said part havingmeans thereon engaging the opposite interior wall of the package.

13. A package as claimed in claim 12 in which the payout tube has anoutwardly flaring portion which forms an angle of 15 to 40 with theradius.

14. A package of flexible material comprising a plurality of layers eachformed of a plurality of figure-8s having crossovers progressing aroundthe package, said package having an axial opening and having a radialopening, the inner end of the material being brought out through theradial opening, and a part removably secured in the radial openinghaving means thereon engaging the opposite interior wall of the package.

1. A package of flexible material comprising a plurality of layers eachformed of a plurality of figure-8s having cross-overs progressing aroundthe package, said package having an axial opening and having incross-section perpendicular to the axis of said axial opening asubstantially oval shape with elongated sides and curved ends, andhaving a radial opening, the inner end of the material being led outthrough such opening.
 2. A package as claimed in claim 1, in which theradial opening is substantially at the center of one of the elongatedsides.
 3. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which the interior walls ofthe axial opening are closer together at the central portion of theelongated sides than at the end portions.
 4. A package as claimed inclaim 1 in which the cross-overs in the curved ends are spaced furtherapart than the cross-overs in the elongated sides.
 5. A package asclaimed in claim 1 in which the elongated sides are thicker than thecurved ends.
 6. A package as claimed in claim 5 and a cover thereforsubstantially oval in cross-section and having flat sides engaging theelongated sides of the package whereby said sides bulge inwardly intothe axial opening.
 7. A package as claimed in claim 1 in which thecross-overs in the curved ends are spaced further apart than thecross-overs in the elongated sides.
 8. A package as claimed in claim 1having a payout tube with a part held in said radial opening and anoutwardly flaring portion terminating at the interior wall of thepackage.
 9. A package as claimed in claim 8 in which the outwardlyflaring portion forms an angle of 15* to 40* with the longitudinal axisof the tube.
 10. A package as claimed in claim 8 having a part removablysecured in the tube, said part having means thereon engaging theopposite interior wall of the package.
 11. A package as claimed in claim1 in which the cross-overs are evenly spaced around the package.
 12. Apackage of flexible material comprising a plurality of layers eachformed of a plurality of figure-8s having cross-overs progressing aroundthe package, said package having an axial opening and having a radialopening, the inner end of the material being brought out through theradial opening, a payout tube having a portion within the radialopening, and a part removably secured in the tube, said part havingmeans thereon engaging the opposite interior wall of the package.
 13. Apackage as claimed in claim 12 in which the payout tube has an outwardlyflaring portion which forms an angle of 15* to 40* with the radius. 14.A package of flexible material comprising a plurality of layers eachformed of a plurality of figure-8s having cross-overs progressing aroundthe package, said package having an axial opening and having a radialopening, the inner end of the material being brought out through theradial opening, and a part removably secured in the radial openinghaving means thereon engaging the opposite interior wall of the package.